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"Picky" Eater

My DD is almost 12 months old...THANKS, Ladies, for playing a key role in helping us make it this far! And she has always been a little disinterested in purees/solids...she could take them or leave 'em. During the week of Christmas I was off of work and she had NO interest in eating purees/solids given by me when she had been previously doing three small meals a day. Is that normal at this age? To only want to eat solids when Mommy isn't around?
Also, I thought having a week with her strictly nursing would increase my supply but it has done the complete opposite. She normally takes between 12-15 ounces while I am away for 11 hours a day. I can barely get 10 ounces together for her in one day's time and four pumping sessions. I thought I might be pregnant, but that is negative (phew!...for now). Should I even worry about attempting to increase my supply if I will be trying to pump wean sometime between 12-18 months? Should I just start adding cow's milk to make up the difference? How do other working women do this? Do most continue pumping during the entire second year? My work has been EXTREMEMLY understanding when it comes to pumping but I am now having to pump more to get less then what I did before and I can see this becoming a problem for my work environment which is very fast paced.
Finally, should I be concerned that the only thing she is interested in eating are those Cheddar Gerber poof chz doodle things, cheerios, egg yolks (when can you introduce the whites?), and animal crackers. She is addicted to them! These are just about the only things she wants to eat...should I be concerned? I am so at a loss...
NOTE: Even if she does not eat them, we ALWAYS offer her SOMETHING at ever meal (i.e. cooked diced carrots, shredded chicken, cut up banana, cubed cheese, etc). Out of desperation and her interest, she has had grilled cheese and cheese pizza diced up. What is her deal with bread products!? Are we doing something wrong?

Re: "Picky" Eater

Seems normal to me mama I only have one child, but he goes through phases where he wolfs everything down and phases where I wonder how he can survive on what little he eats. You've probably heard this but try to look at what LO eats over a week not a single day, I also try to remind myself that raising a grazer who truly stops eating when he is full is actually the healthy way to eat!

As for pump weaning, I started at about 12 months; a cut out one session and waited a few weeks then cut out another etc. The last session held on until my son was about 14 months then I totally stopped. You can introduce cows milk if you like (I did), he never drank a ton, but it or water was always offered with solid meals after there wasnt anymore breastmilk. However if you offer a variety of foods and LO is nursing 3-4x per day that is actually enough in general, so remember it's not cold turkey, all or nothing.

We still nurse at over 3 years and DS is often a picky eater still, I just try like you to offer healthy choices (like a pick platter) at every meal and let him dictate what he eats.

Re: "Picky" Eater

Caroline has started taking less breastmilk (in bottles) as she increases her solid intake. I used to send 3 4 oz bottles daily; now I send 2 3 oz bottles and a sippy cup of soy milk along with her fruit, veggies, pasta, etc. for her meals. I am in the midst of pump weaning because I am SO over pumping, but I am planning on still nursing when we are at home.

I think if you are only pumping 10 oz at work then she is probably going to be fine with that, and she will make it up if she is hungry with solids. At this age you could also give a little cow's milk in a sippy with meals.

Re: "Picky" Eater

Thank you, Ladies, for your responses! They are more helpful than you know! New development: DD has had on and off congestion since Christmas so I took her in a week or so ago, thinking allergies. Come to find out, she had an ear infection! I was totally surprised because she was never fussy during the day (just would not eat solids), took her bottles and nursed well. She was only difficult at night when she would congest the most. I feel so bad I did not take her in sooner! Long story short she is on her third antibiotic for allergy and ineffectiveness of the first two. Her single ear infection developed into a bilateral infection. :-( Poor baby...she has been a trooper through it all! She is better now and eating her solids again! We are so excited to see this. The only problem is she has dropped from the 10th percentile in weight to the 3rd (17 lbs. 14 ounces at her 12 month appt; she has maintained at the 50th percentile for height…29 ¼” ), which is really worrying me (but I keep trying to tell myself that a month of sickness and no solids would do that to her). The pediatrician wants a weigh check before her 15 month appointment so hopefully she will have gone back up. Thank you all once again!